Although Daggett Township contained 36 sections of land, it is made up of parts of four different towns.  It embraces the S1⁄2 of 36-26, the SE1⁄4 of 36-27, the north tier of sections of 35-26 and Sections 1,2,3, or 35-27.The village of Daggett is in the township.  Its post-office serves not only Daggett Township but also parts of adjoining townships. 

 

The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad and Highway US 41 both cross the township.Daggett was founded for the purpose of lumbering, and several sawmills were built on the east side of the village.  They are all gone now, but there are rocks remaining to show where the fire room of the lumber mill stood.  Just to the north of it stood the planing mill, but nothing remains of it now except some iron scraps partly covered by sawdust, weeds and grass. 

 

A shingle mill was run in connection with the lumber mill.  Halfway between the Northwestern Railway tracks and the new U.S.-41 stood a post mill owned by Paul Perrizo, Sr. (Note: G.W. Bush's saw and shingle mill did a thriving business in the eighties.  It burned in 1887.  Other names connected with logging days were Bussell & Vincent, Wilson & Westman, Weng & Son.)Among the earliest comers were Mr. John Johnson, father of Mrs. Nels Linderoth and F.D. Crane, also, Thomas Faulkner who in 1874 took charge of a farm at Section 25 for Holmes & Son, lumbermen.  (Note: In 1876 Mr. Falukner married Clara Daggett who had come from her home in Elmira, New York to visit a brother in Marinette. 

 

After the wedding they went to live at Section 25.)  Mrs. Faulkner kept the first post-office in her kitchen, and as the village had no name it was called Daggett in honor of her father.The post-office was later housed in Perrizo & Sons store, then in L.E. Wend & Sons store and in John Dunham's store and later in a building erected for Dr. Landsborough. 

 

The first hotel keeper was Mr. Berry, later the hotel was operated by Charles Wurtzel.  Dr. Eliot was the first physician to have an office at Daggett.In the beginning the village consisted of a few smoky shanties and a store which was about a quarter of a mile south from where the depot now stands.  The store was kept by C.A. Brown. 

 

The village was a flag stop along the Chicago Northwestern line and was called simply Section 25 because it was twenty-five miles from Menominee.  Not until 1883 did Daggett become a regular stop.  At that time a depot was erected and Mr. Oakes became station agent.The Newbauer store was one of the earliest, but it was destroyed by fire, and replaced by the Perrizo & Son's store.  In time this too burned along with the local theatre. 

 

A new store and home combined was erected by A.J. Lesperance and a theatre by E. Plutchak.Daggett now has four stores, creamery, post-office, blacksmith shop, two restaurants, drug store, theatre, barber shop, beauty parlor, depot, funeral home, consolidated school, three churches, village hall, two garages, three service stations, two large feed and potato warehouses, and many residences.When the first farms near Daggett were started in the seventies the main crops were hay, cabbage, potatoes, turnips and other root crops to supply local needs.  Before many years agriculture surpassed lumbering in importance.  This is not a fruit growing section, but apples do well.  Practically every farmer has a few trees, also a few plums and cherries are grown for home use.  Of the small fruits strawberries and raspberries are the most important.  Wild raspberries and blueberries re picked for home use.Dairying is perhaps the chief industry in Daggett Township.  Most of the farmers milk from five to fifteen cows and sell milk to one of the three local factories. 

 

These factories are situated in parts of the township near the dairy farms.  Surrounding towns have factories also.  Our village factory manufactures butter, cheese, and casein.  Trucks bring in milk from the dairy farms every day, then dairy produces are shipped and trucked away.Hay crops have become vastly important because of the dairying industry.  The short growing season is suited mainly to the raising of hay crops.  The level stretches of land are used for hay fields and the steeper slopes are useful for grazing.  The rivers, creeks, and lakes help to supply water for the stock.  Practically every farmer owns a dairy barn and a silo. 

 

Corn is the principal silage crop.  The climate, land forms, soils, natural vegetation, drainage, and water supply help make dairying profitable.There are many services, social, religious and recreational activities in the village and township.  Among them are the Daggett Progressive Club, the Town Band, the W.P.A. Recreation and Handicraft Unit, the Girl Scout Troop, the Women's Extension Group, various clubs connected with church organizations, the Ladies' Aid and Sanctuary Society. --Ellen Ahlskog (1940)

 

Logging at present consists of cutting cedar posts, ties and excelsior materials which are shipped to Green Bay and elsewhere.  In the fall months spruce and balsam, called brush, are cut and tied in twenty pound bundles and trucked to Chicago where it is used for lining graves in cemeteries. In late October, November, and early December, spruce and balsam trees are cut and tied so as not to break the branches and to conserve space, then trucked to Chicago where they are sold as Christmas trees. --E.L. Champion (1940)  

 

Source:  Menominee County Book for Schools, edited by Ethel Schuyler.  Menominee, Michigan: Office of County School Commissioner, 1941.